Broken Toy

Torrence Dietz, Rene Grove and the others probably hear the premonitory news sometime in 1929 and, when it comes, their hearts must have sunk like that of a child whose fragile toy shatters against a concrete floor. Regardless of whether it is through the new and impudent radio media or a newspaper, it no doubt comes camouflaged as a technological achievement of sound in a movie. Whatever announcement Torrence hears or sees, it likely sends Rene Grove and him scurrying to contact their attorney to obtain detailed pictures of what they may have considered the disturbing character.

The surprise comes on November 18, 1928 in the form of a talking black mouse in a sound cartoon, called Steamboat Willie. The cartoon debuts at the Universal Pictures New York outlet in Manhattan, the Colony Theater. The cartoon is a creation of a studio in Hollywood, California, owned by Walter Elias Disney and it has as the main character, a mouse called "Mickey."

Walking into the factory after hearing news of this cartoon or actually seeing it, Torrence is likely unsettled, suffering a mix of strange feelings. A pall of incredulity likely falls over him and his colleagues as they try to fathom their position. Unlike his lumber business where he is the sole decision-maker, with the toy company he has the welcome counsel of his colleagues.

It is easy to envision Torrence looking at Rene Grove, shaking his head, and remarking, "Rene, do you think this infringes our patent and trademark?"

Equally dismayed, Rene could have replied, "I have no idea if it constitutes infringement, but we need to discuss this with Watson Coleman."

From that point on their discussions are likely weighty and filled with attempts to identify the ramifications of their problem. Surely, the officers meet as soon as possible. In their meeting, Torrence Dietz, Oliver Watts, Rene Grove, Clifford Funk, and possibly Elias Klahr, deliberate on the salient points of infringement, what they understand about their rights under the patent and trademark laws.

During the time that Torrence struggles to keep the toy company above the rising depression water, Rene Grove struggles to hold onto his family.

Rene Grove's home problems, his stressed wife, at the time, stem primarily from the toy company's alleged patent issues, but it also seems likely that uncertainty in the nation's financial market contributes to the Grove's plight. Had they foresight they would have regarded any toy problem as insignificant compared to what is coming. The stock market, October 24, 1929 comes in like a lamb, but after the first hour, the lamb turns into a bear. As the sell orders flood the floor of the stock market, the stock prices are washed away in the torrent. The market crashes and when it does, it shatters the optimism of the country, which in turn spawns new philosophies and values, some of which focus on conservatism.

The year 1930 starts with the government trying to put a favorable spin on the economy. The first week of February finds the State Theater in downtown Harrisburg, across the city from the Performo-Toy Company, showing the movie, The Great Divide, an appropriate title for the time. Perhaps the Harrisburg Telegraph front-page headline, on February 21, 1930 more closely mirrors America's misgivings. It reads: "Noose cuts off head as murderess drops more than six feet. First woman to hang in Arizona jokes with guards when her effort to take life with poison is frustrated."

By April, all the rosy promises the government had fed Torrence Dietz and Rene Grove and the rest of the country no longer fall on favorable ears. There are over three million people are unemployed. Organizations are formed to collect donations from companies and the employed to help the people out of work.

In other parts of the world, events seem totally disconnected from the growing economic debacle. On May 28, 1930, Bobby Jones defeats the British champion at St. Andrews; on May 29, the dirigible, Zeppelin, leaves Brazil for Havana under threat of storms; and the next day Babe Ruth hits his fifteenth homerun. The advertisement in the newspaper offers the Ford standard coupé for $495, a Philco Radio for $149.50, and at a Harrisburg A&P, Campbell's beans are three cans for 22 cents.

Turmoil in the Performo-Toy Company's office causes such an unsettled atmosphere at the Grove home that eventually Ruth Grove can't endure the stress.

The primary objective of this work is to uncover the background of the mysterious Performo-Toy Company and within that scope to present the struggle of one of the principal architects of the company, Torrence Dietz, who stood nearly single-handedly by it until the end. In bringing his work to light, it is necessary and proper that another man's achievement, Rene Grove, which forms the cornerstone of this history, also be given proper recognition. Both of these men shared a common dream.

A key element in reconstructing Torrence and the toy company's story is uncovering the paper trail, obtaining copies of as many documents as possible about all facets of the company and men. This is driven by two factors: the different and sometimes opposing interpretations expressed by local historians as well as descendants of the principals of the company and, secondly, by the obvious deteriorating effect of time on memories. Where documentation does not exist, an effort has been made to use surrounding facts to interpolate the most logical representation.